Jonah’s Strawberry Cake

June 7, 2016July 3, 2025Anne

Since my last few recipe posts have been very healthy veggie side dishes (seriously you must try this green soup, it is my new favorite easy summer meal) I decided it was time for a sweet treat! Also my buddy Jonah Sage’s birthday party was this past weekend and since I volunteered to make his cake, and it turned out so delicious, I thought I’d share this easy summer treat with you.

Well actually I made two cakes, one for the adults to eat and one for the babies to smash their faces into. Here is the birthday boy with his cake.

Beverly (Jonah’s mamma) and I decided that strawberries from their home garden would be perfect for baby J’s birthday cake. I was planning to make a 1-2-3-4 cake from scratch until I found pre made angel food cakes at New Seasons. Also I remembered that I had a full week of appointments and since it has been in the 90’s did I really want to fire up the oven? I love this baby but come on, why suffer? So this is more of a “here’s something delicious that I put together that everyone loved” than a recipe. Try it and you will not be disappointed.

If you are not fortunate enough to have hood strawberries growing in your yard, they can be found right now at farmer’s markets (like Moreland on Wednesdays and Milwaukie on Sundays) and local grocery stores. Yes there is a little bit of sugar in the cake, but it’s not too sweet. You could also make mini versions of these using slices of pound cake or mini shortcakes. I used a stand mixer,but if you want a nice arm workout try whipping the cream by hand.

Jonah’s Strawberry Cake

Ingredients:

1 pre-made angel food cake
1 quart of hood strawberries (I’m guessing here, we filled two large tupperware containers from my friend’s garden, if in doubt buy more and freeze any leftovers)
2 cups of whipping cream
4-6 Tablespoons of sugar, separated
1 teaspoon of vanilla

Directions:

1. Prep your mixing bowl by placing the bowl and the beaters (or whisk if you are making by hand) in the freezer for a few minutes.

2. Give your strawberries a bath by rinsing them in cold water. Wait to do this right before you are about to make your cake, otherwise they will get all gross and gooey. These babies are not like traditional strawberries, they are almost as delicate as raspberries.

3. Slice berries in half, sprinkle them with two tablespoons of sugar, stir and and refrigerate while you prep the rest of the cake.

4.Carefully slice your cake into three layers.

5. Start on your whipped cream – place two tablespoons of sugar into your chilled bowl. Add the 2 cups of whipping cream and vanilla and beat just until soft peaks form. This took me maybe 5-10 minutes.

6. Put together your cake – place the bottom layer on a pretty plate. Check your chilled strawberries for sweetness and add sugar to taste. Spread one third of the strawberries over the first cake layer.

7. Top with 1/4 of the creme. Repeat this cake, strawberries, whipped creme process for the next two layers. Cover the whole thing with the remaining whipped cream and serve!

And here is one more photo of this delicious baby, he is so freaking cute I can’t stand it!

Anne McCranie is a Portland (Sellwood), Oregon based personal trainer and licensed massage therapist. She offers these recipes to tickle your taste buds. Please see your medical professional for specific dietary advice.

Client Testimonial – CranioSacral Therapy

April 21, 2016June 24, 2025Anne

A client recently sent me this testimonial…

I have been going to Anne for massage, particularly craniosacral therapy massage, and I must say that she is the best of all who have worked on me. I leave our sessions completely relaxed and refreshed. Anne is not only a highly skilled practitioner, but what makes her special is that she truly cares about her clients, focusing her efforts completely on each session…… DF, Portland

Reading this warmed my heart. I truly love working with my clients to facilitate pain relief, reduced stress and improved quality of life.

This client first came to see me after shoulder surgery (well, actually after his wife told him for months “you should go see Anne” 🙂 ). He was suffering from pain and limited mobility in his shoulder. He did his physical therapy exercises religiously and when he was released from P.T. started seeing me for personal training, massage, and craniosacral therapy. Over the past year he has greatly improved his range of motion. His goal was to be able to lift a suitcase into the overhead bin, or take a bike or kayak off the roof rack without pain and he is now able to do so.

Now that his shoulder pain has subsided we have been focusing on relaxing soft tissue work and CST, or what I call the “massage cranio sandwich”. I work his back, legs, neck and arms using a combination of Swedish and neuromuscular massage, then we do a solid hour of CST. This modality is so relaxing he often falls asleep.

Better sleep, less musculoskeletal pain, improved joint function, better quality of life… Sound good? Call or email Anne to find out how her Movement + massage program can help you!

Anne McCranie is a Portland (Sellwood), Oregon based personal trainer and licensed massage therapist. She offers customized programs to build strength, reduce pain and lower stress. Contact her today for a complimentary consultation. (503) 705-4762

African Curried Cauliflower Recipe

April 6, 2016July 3, 2025Anne

Like other cruciferous vegetables, cauliflower is an excellent source of phytonutrients and enzymes as well as vitamins C, K, B5, B6, folate fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. All great reasons to add this hearty veggie to your diet. Try this curried baked version and let me know what you think in the comments below.

African Curried Cauliflower

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower, chopped into bite sized pieces and rinsed
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp curry powder
1 Tbsp caraway seeds
2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp sea salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450.
Toss cauliflower with olive oil, curry powder, caraway seeds, red pepper and salt.
Spread cauliflower mixture out in a single layer on baking sheet.
Roast cauliflower until cooked through and the edges are a little charred – about 20 to 30 minutes.

Anne McCranie is a Portland (Sellwood), Oregon based personal trainer and licensed massage therapist. She offers this recipe to tickle your taste buds. Please see your medical professional for specific dietary advice.

April Five Exercises For Core Strength, Balance

April 6, 2016July 3, 2025Anne

I was in Astoria last weekend and the weather was so nice we were able to do a photo shoot on the beach! Here are your April Five. For full written descriptions of these moves click here. Could you do one minute of these exercises every day this week?

Warrior II:

Leg Pull Back:

Swan Dive:

Double Leg Kick:

Rolling Like a Ball:

Anne McCranie is a Portland (Sellwood), Oregon based personal trainer and licensed massage therapist. She offers these photos to remind you of the work you have done with her. Please see your medical professional prior to beginning a new exercise program.

April Five Exercises For Core Strength, Back Extension, and Standing Balance

April 2, 2016July 3, 2025Anne

The April Five

Here are photos of this month’s moves. Click here to see full descriptions of these exercises. Could you do one minute of each of these today?

1) Warrior II:

2) Leg Pull Back:

3) Swan Dive:

4) Double Leg Kick:

5) Rolling Like A Ball:

Anne McCranie is a Portland (Sellwood), Oregon based Personal Trainer and Licensed Massage Therapist. She offers these photos to remind you of the work you have done with her in a private training session or class. Please see your medical professional prior to beginning a new exercise program.